CONTROVERSIAL plans to build more than 80 homes have been resubmitted to the council, after being previously rejected.

Proposals were submitted to Hyndburn Council in March last year for 84 properties to be built off Mount St James and Stanhill Road in Knuzden.

They were rejected by the council's planning committee in May. A planning report stated the main reason was due to insufficient information being provided that there would be a suitable 100m buffer zone for future residents. This is needed to protect them from noise and odour from an adjacent poultry farm, planning bosses said. However applicant Clive Rawlinson has again submitted plans for 84 homes for the land, currently used as farmland.

He said in a design and access statement, completed with planning agent HPDA, appropriate changes have now been made.

A report said: “Further studies have now been carried out and are included with the current application. The additional odour report concludes any discernible odour when the poultry units were being cleaned out is no different to the findings of the earlier surveys.

"Similarly, the additional noise report found no discernible difference from the earlier noise report and noted no unacceptable noise from fans or the dog kennels on Haslingden Old Road.”

The plans include nine bungalows, 32 semi-detached houses, seven detached properties, six farm buildings conversion and 30 town houses — the same as the previous application.

A total of 38 letters of rejection were submitted by residents against the previous plans, raising issues such as the noise and smells from nearby poultry farms, pressure on schools and doctors, traffic and highway safety and parking issues.

Cllr Glen Harrison said he doubts sufficient changes have been made to please the residents.

He said: “There were a lot of problems before and I cannot physically see how they have been remedied. There has been fierce opposition in the past from residents over a number of issues.

“The houses lead on to Windsor Road, which is one of the worst roads in Hyndburn for its potholes, and it’s a busy bus route. More people will just increase the problems. I used to live round there and the smell from the poultry farms is bad. We’ll wait and see what change they present, but my gut feeling is not enough has been done.”